A MAN and his teenage stepdaughter have been sentenced to do unpaid work after admitting stealing more than £5,000 worth of goods from the Amazon distribution centre at Over Hulton.

The pair both worked at the depot, employed by TCFF, a firm which provides cleaning and other services to the online retail giant.

But Daniel Holding and Kira Odowd saw their access the the building as an opportunity to help themselves to products stored there.

Holding, aged 31, and 18-year-old Odowd's crimes were uncovered when a security guard caught them stuffing items, including Apple ear pods, into bags.

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At Bolton Magistrates' Court Holding was sentenced to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and participate in 19 days of a thinking skills programme whilst Odowd must undertake 80 hours of unpaid work. They each must also pay £85 towards prosecution costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Holding and Odowd, both of Arley Close, Aspull, had previously pleaded guilty to theft by an employee.

Ann Deakin, prosecuting, had told the court how, on June 13 last year, a security guard was conducting checks at gate posts throughout the large complex at 9.10am when he came across Odowd and Holding inside a bin compound.

"They were actually standing in a large skip and Mr Holding was emptying items from the bin into clear plastic bags," said Miss Deakin.

"The security guard confronted them both, took the inventory from them and escorted them to reception and police were called."

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She added that when the bags were examined they contained electrical goods, including Apple ear pods, with a total of £5,198.93.

The court heard that Odowd is of previous good character, although Holding has 15 convictions, including three for dishonesty.

Mark Ferguson, defending Holding, told the court: "This is essentially two people who go to work, who are both financially hard up and decide, on the spur of the moment, to take items which don't belong to them.

"It is not a mastermind operation. They simply put bins which contained valuable items from one part into another bin where the recycling takes place, which is where their job is involved.

"It was within minutes that they were seen by a security guard who was doing the rounds who noticed them being in an area where they shouldn't be."